How Much Does Biotechnology Engineering School Cost?
If you are interested in a career as a biotechnologist, also known as a biotechnology engineer, you are no doubt concerned about how much it would cost you before you can get that sought-after degree in biotechnology. Your concern about tuition, fees and other related expenses are valid since college education has become very expensive nowadays.
The cost of going to biotechnology school actually varies. It also depends on whether you go to a public or private institution and whether you are attending a school in the state where you live or outside of it. Public colleges and universities are more affordable, especially for in-state students who receive large discounts in their tuition fees. The kind of degree you obtain will also matter.
If you opt to get an associate’s degree in biotechnology, you’ll spend far less because you’ll be in school for two years and can start looking for a job right away. More employees are looking for biotechnology graduates who have obtained a four-year bachelor’s degree so in the end, the more expensive and lengthier bachelor’s degree might end up to be the better option.
The annual cost to attend biotechnology school ranges anywhere from $12,000 to around $60,000 for a bachelor’s degree and about $4,000 to a little over $26,000 for an associate’s degree. This covers the yearly cost for tuition and other fees, room and board and books and supplies. One of the cheaper bachelor’s degree programs in biotechnology is offered by Utah Valley University. For in-state students, the total annual cost is 12,146 while for out-of-state students, it is $21,316. Kennesaw State University in Georgia charges $18,785 for in-state students and $28,865 for out-of-state students. One of the more popular biotechnology programs is offered at University of California Davis. Total yearly costs for in-state students is $29,476 while for out-of-state students, it is $52,354.
Private institutions like the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York charge the same fee for all students. A bachelor’s degree in biotechnology there costs $46,652 annually. Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania costs $48,700 while at Tufts University in Massachusetts, the yearly cost is $59,580.

The yearly cost of an associate’s degree at Ivy Tech Community Colleges in various parts of Indiana except for the one located in Central Indiana is $4,424 for in-state students and $8,096 for out-of-state students. At Ivy Tech Community College in Central Indiana, the cost to attend is a bit higher at $10,519 for in-state students and $14,546 for out-of-state students. At Mount Wachusett Community College, an associate’s degree in biotechnology costs $13,500 a year for in-state students and $18,420 for out-of-state students. At Keiser University Ft Lauderdale, a private college, the cost of an associate’s degree in biotechnology is the same for all students at $26,172 a year.
Keep in mind that these are the costs before any form of financial aid is received. Many students are able to fund their college degree because they are a recipient of financial aid. Visit your school’s financial aid office to check if there are also scholarships and grants that you can apply for to further bring down the cost of your college education. You can also consider obtaining a student loan to help fund your biotechnology course. Keep in mind that you will be repaying this when you start working so make this your last option. You can also work part-time so that you will have money for your other college expenses.
Career Spotlight: Biotechnology Engineer